The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

not ascertain the points of the compass. Indeed,
afflicted with thirst, he began to wander hither and
thither. He then beheld a lake that was exceedingly
beautiful and was full of transparent water. Alighting
from his steed, and plunging into the lake, he caused
his animal to drink. Tying his horse then, whose
thirst had been slaked, to a tree, the king plunged
into the lake again for performing his ablutions.
To his amazement he found that he was changed, by
virtue of the waters, into a woman. Beholding
himself thus transformed in respect of sex itself,
the king became overpowered with shame. With
his senses and mind completely agitated, he began
to reflect with his whole heart in this strain:—­Alas,
how shall I ride my steed? How shall I return
to my capital? In consequence of the Agnishtuta
sacrifice I have got a hundred sons all endued with
great might, and all children of my own loins.
Alas, thus transformed, what shall I say unto them?
What shall I say unto my spouses, my relatives and
well-wishers, and my subjects of the city and the
provinces? Rishis conversant with the truths of
duty and religion and other matters say that mildness
and softness and liability to extreme agitation are
the attributes of women, and that activity, hardness,
and energy are the attributes of men. Alas, my
manliness has disappeared. For what reason has
femininity come over me? In consequence of this
transformation of sex, how shall I succeed in mounting
my horse again?—­Having indulged in these
sad thoughts, the monarch, with great exertion, mounted
his steed and came back to his capital, transformed
though he had been into a woman. His sons and
spouses and servants, and his subjects of the city
and the provinces, beholding that extraordinary transformation,
became exceedingly amazed. Then that royal sage,
that foremost of eloquent men, addressing them all,
said,—­I had gone out on a hunting expedition,
accompanied by a large force. Losing all knowledge
of the points of the compass, I entered a thick and
terrible forest, impelled by the fates. In that
terrible forest, I became afflicted with thirst and
lost my senses. I then beheld a beautiful lake
abounding with fowl of every description. Plunging
into that stream for performing my ablutions, I was
transformed into a woman!—­Summoning then
his spouses and counsellors, and all his sons by their
names, that best of monarchs transformed into a woman
said unto them these words:—­Do ye enjoy
this kingdom in happiness. As regards myself,
I shall repair to the woods, ye sons.—­Having
said so unto his children, the monarch proceeded to
the forest. Arrived there, she came upon an asylum
inhabited by an ascetic. By that ascetic the
transformed monarch gave birth to a century of sons.
Taking all those children of hers, she repaired to
where her former children were, and addressing the
latter, said,—­Ye are the children of my
loins while I was a man. These are my children
brought forth by me in this state of transformation.